Property with very low actual and potential epc rating??

moon_river

Hello fellow MSEer, I am after some advice really..
My OH and I are really interested in a property, everything else ticks all the boxes. But unfortunately, the actual and potential epc ratings are both g.
Does it mean that there's no way it can be improved at all?

Desperado99

wow, that does seem odd! have you read the whole report? you can view them online here: https://www.epcregister.com/home.html

dimbo61

No of course you can improve the EPC
Simple steps include installing loft insulation, cavity wall insulation.
Putting energy saving light bulbs will up the rating.
LED bulbs or Floodlights !!!
A rated appliances such as fridge/freezer, washing machine , dishwasher, tumble dryer will reduce energy bills but not improve the EPC
Next on the list is new double glazing, modern ECO boiler from Bosch/Worcester or vaillant,
Floor insulation !
In order to get "A" rated you need to generate electric solar panels which at £8/10,000 is very expensive
You can do a lot to improve the EPC

dimbo61

If the building is listed or Grade 1/2 you have to get very clever in order to improve the EPC

moon_river

Thanks dimbo61, the reason I asked if there's no way of improving is because I assumed that the potential rating would be the rating the property would get after improvements?

I have read the report and I can see there are a lot of things we could do to improve, can somebody shed some light on the potential rating bit please??

G_M

Look- EPCs are a waste of space.

Just use your common sense combined with the feedback from a proper survey.

Is the attic insulated? No? Insulate it.
Is there central heating? No? Install it.
Is there cavity wall insulation?No? Assuming the property has cavity walls, insulate them.
Stick up some energy saving lightbulbs.
Draft-proof under the doors/windows.
Install double glazing.
Decide whether you want solar panals.

Do you really need some numpty who's been on a half day training course to provide a piece of paper which is computer-generated from a tick-list based on a quick viewing and a lot of 'assumptions'?

:T

Just remember a house built 50 or 100 years ago will never be as energy efficient as one built 5 years ago. That, too, is common sense. You don't need an EPC to tell you that! (unless you, too, are a numpty!)

moon_river

We are just concerned about the rumours that it might be unlawful to rent out a property that's got low epc ratings in the future.:eek::eek:

sandsni

There are rumours about EPC ratings and private letting, but whether they ever come to fruition is the 6 million dollar question. But with an energy rating that low you can be almost guaranteed no tenant will heat it enough to stop it getting damp and then you will have to make far more improvements far more quickly than you would if it was your family home since they'll probably get Environmental Health involved.

If you were thinking of living in the place I would say ignore the EPC and go with your gut, making improvements as time and money allow, but as far as lettings go it's likely to be a money pit.

AdrianC

If you want a comical EPC, have a look at this one...

http://media.rightmove.co.uk/hips/epcs/85k/84361/84361_413633A_38_EPC_17_0000.PNG
...from this house...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40404614.html

Yes, you did read it right.

I'd agree with the "EPC is useless" line - the place we sold, the place we rented briefly, and the place we bought all had actual EPC scores of 30 - yet they couldn't be more different in reality if they tried. Basically, if the surveyor can't actually see and prod something, it's regarded as not there.

Dukesy

EPCs are such a waste. Our house was rated as G when we bought it. The 'potential' rating was also G.

The simple fact is, that EPCs simply do not fit with properties which aren't built in a particular way - no, we do not have cavity walls and so on, but what we DO have is three feet of stone between us and the outside. We have never lived in a better insulated house, and our heating bills (we have a multi fuel back boiler) are peanuts, but as far as the EPC is concerned, there is no insulation in the walls and therefore it's totally inefficient. We have bunged insulation into every nook and cranny that we can, and have replaced the 'secondary glazed' windows with proper double glazing and the place is like a sauna in the winter and beautifully cool in the summer.

Anyway, anything that places any importance upon how many of the bulbs in the place are low energy ones is just a little ridiculous, isn't it!

Doozergirl

Another vote for "useless"

Every single property has the potential to have an A rating. Whether people want to spend money doing it is another thing.

We've regularly taken properties far above their apparent potential. We get a new EPC when we sell, and that has another new 'potential' on it. It's a total pile of rubbish.